Latin America: What will emerge from the schism of the left
By: Beatrice E. Rangel - 28/08/2024
Share:
The last time the world witnessed a left schism was during the Cold War when China and the Soviet Union publicly diverged over vital issues of both a geopolitical and domestic nature. In the field of geopolitics, China considered Moscow's decision to define a field of peaceful coexistence with the West as revisionism. In the domestic field, China had no qualms about labeling Moscow as social imperialism for its policies of control and suppression of the independence of the nations of Eastern Europe. The consequences of this dispute contributed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the emergence of China as the locomotive of world development.
In this 21st century we are observing the take-off of another schism on the left. This time it is located in our hemisphere. The distancing has originated in Chile, whose leader comes from the most certified depths of the left but supports democratic thinking. This has been highlighted by President Gabriel Boric on several occasions. Perhaps the first was when he gave the obituary of President Sebastian Pinera. Then he expressed support for the UN report on the human rights situation in Venezuela. More recently, it spoke in the same vein as the Carter Center, the Colombian Electoral Observation Mission and the United Nations Mission in rejecting the confiscation of the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people perpetrated by the regime chaired by Nicolas Maduro. Thus began a decantation between the democratic left and the totalitarian left. More recently, Daniel Ortega, president of Nicaragua, joined the diatribe and threw poisoned darts at his colleagues in Brazil and Colombia.
Ortega claims to his colleagues that he wanted to mediate in the Venezuelan crisis that occurred when the regime decided to disrespect the result of the presidential vote and claim the votes that had been cast in favor of Edmundo Gonzalez, the candidate of the opposition united with Nicolas Maduro.
Ortega's insults against Gustavo Petro and Luiz Innacio Lila da Silva reveal the presence of a division in the ranks of the left between the past and the future; civilization and barbarism; freedom and totalitarianism
Indeed, Ortega's insults clearly define the territories of the two lefts as well as the content of their governance exercises. The axis Daniel Ortega; Luis Arce, Xiomara Castro and Miguel Diaz Canel represent the tumultuous and destructive caudillo past that has been the great annihilator of development in the region.
Boric and Da Silva, the democratic left, who despite experiencing populist outbreaks end up favoring the freedom that took them to high destinies. Both nations have an enormous influence on the future of Latin America due to the significance of their economic bases that have not only grown but have been strengthened to become powers of emerging countries.
As far as Petro is concerned, his authoritarian attempts have been efficiently repelled by Colombian civil society and it is most likely that he will go down in history without much pain or glory. But he will have paved the way for a true leader of the democratic left.
As for the axis made up of Maduro, Arce, and Diaz Canel, its certain destiny is implosion at different times but probably with violence and even greater destruction than what they have caused. Castro will leave Honduras through elections and Daniel Ortega will probably end up handing over power to his wife Rosario, who will serve as the regime's gravedigger.
«The opinions published herein are the sole responsibility of its author».